With the Western Digital hard disc (eg. WD2500BEVT), there is an important issue: using the APM (Advanced Power Management) there are too nomerous spin-down, that can damage the hard drive. To confirm this issue, you have to [[pacman|install]] {{Pkg|smartmontools}} from [[Official repositories]].

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See [[Laptop#Hard drive spin down problem]].

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And you have to run multiple times this command (once in a minute for like 5 minutes):

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# smartctl -a /dev/sda|grep Load_Cycle_Count

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If the number under Load_Cycle_Count is increasing in a small amount of time (1 or 2 in a minute) you have this issue.

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=== Solution 1 ===

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The problem is easily solvable using {{Pkg|laptop-mode-tools}}. In your {{Ic|/etc/laptop-mode/laptop-mode.conf}}, you have to set:

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# Should laptop mode tools control the hard drive power management settings?

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#

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CONTROL_HD_POWERMGMT=1

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# Power management for HD (hdparm -B values)

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#

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BATT_HD_POWERMGMT=255

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LM_AC_HD_POWERMGMT=255

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NOLM_AC_HD_POWERMGMT=255

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This disable all power management systems of the hard drive cause a light heat up (maybe). The same behaviour can be obtained running this command:

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# hdparm -B 255 /dev/sda

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the 255 number is the power-management level, in a range of 1-255 where 1 is maximum powersaving and 255 powersaving disabled. However setting the value to 253 causes a lot of spin-down. Setting the spin-down feature (it parks the heads away from disk) however can save the hard disk in case of a fall.

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=== Solution 2 ===

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This method correct this issue once and for all: [http://www.synology.com/support/faq_show.php?lang=enu&q_id=407 WDIDLE3]

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[[http://www.jzab.de/content/ultimate-boot-cd-wdidle3-util-included This page]] contains a pre-built DOS boot disk to fix this issue. It can be installed a run from a USB.

== nVidia ION 2 with Optimus ==

== nVidia ION 2 with Optimus ==

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* Using some tools you can start with the Intel and Nvidia VGA controller visible. In this mode the Intel controller is used and it is possible to power-down the Nvidia part.

* Using some tools you can start with the Intel and Nvidia VGA controller visible. In this mode the Intel controller is used and it is possible to power-down the Nvidia part.

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To switch between those modes you will need {{AUR|acpi_call-git}}.

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To switch between those modes you will need the {{Ic|acpi_call}} kernel module.

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=== Installing acpi_call kernel module ===

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This module is provided by {{AUR|acpi_call-git}}{{Broken package link|{{aur-mirror|acpi_call-git}}}}, or its dkms version, {{AUR|acpi_call-git-dkms}}{{Broken package link|package not found}}. Both are available in [[AUR]].

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Build and install on of these packages and then load the module.

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=== Installing acpi_call ===

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Make sure you add {{Ic|acpi_call}} into {{ic|/etc/modules-load.d/}}, in order to have the module available in every reboot.

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Install {{AUR|acpi_call-git}} from the [[AUR]].

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Add {{Ic|acpi_call}} module into {{ic|/etc/modules-load.d/}}.

=== Selecting Video Card ===

=== Selecting Video Card ===

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== Wireless ==

== Wireless ==

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Since linux kernel version 2.6.37, the needed module for BCM4313 is natively included in it. If you by any chance you a kernel equal or older than 2.6.36, then you will need {{AUR|compat-wireless-brcm80211}}.

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For kernel 3.0 or higher, wireless card seems to be blocked by other wrong module (I notice a module called 'bcma-pci-bridge' being loaded -- josephgbr). To solve this issue, you have to [[Kernel_modules#Blacklisting|blacklist]] the kernel module {{Ic|bcma}. In the next reboot, the wireless card should be working.

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For BCM4313 there are the following drivers available:

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* proprietary {{AUR|broadcom-wl}} driver or, its dkms version {{Pkg|broadcom-wl-dkms}}, both available in AUR.

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* open source {{Ic|brcm80211}} driver directly included in the Linux kernel, since version 3.0.0 (recommended)

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In case you use the open source brcm80211 driver provided by Linux kernel, make sure you add {{Ic|bcma}} to a [[blacklist]] file, otherwise you will have a conflict between drivers which will block the {{Ic|brcm80211}} driver and that will make your wireless card be unavailable.

== Bumblebee ==

== Bumblebee ==

The 1015pn can be configured to run automatically on the Intel video card, turn on and use the Nvidia part for specific processes when requested, and otherwise leave the Nvidia part turned off.

The 1015pn can be configured to run automatically on the Intel video card, turn on and use the Nvidia part for specific processes when requested, and otherwise leave the Nvidia part turned off.

These are the acpi calls that Bumblebee will use to dynamically control the power of the Nvidia card. Now if bumblebee is included in the {{Ic|MODULES}} section of {{Ic|/etc/rc.conf}}, Bumblebee will automatically power down the Nvidia VGA controller unless it is being used with the optirun command.

These are the acpi calls that Bumblebee will use to dynamically control the power of the Nvidia card. Now if bumblebee is included in the {{Ic|MODULES}} section of {{Ic|/etc/rc.conf}}, Bumblebee will automatically power down the Nvidia VGA controller unless it is being used with the optirun command.

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== To Do ==

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# Manage to get the {{Pkg|xf86-video-intel}}, and {{Pkg|xf86-video-nouveau}} or {{Pkg|nvidia}} packages installed (specific libgl being used by each one)

Make sure you add acpi_call into /etc/modules-load.d/, in order to have the module available in every reboot.

Selecting Video Card

The ACPI method \OSGS is used for selecting the video card for the next boot. The first argument to it determines the card(s) to be enabled. Only the two rightmost bits are used. If bit 0 is enabled, the intel card is enabled as well. Bit 1 correspondends with the nvidia card. If no bits are enabled, only the nvidia card will be enabled. Hence:

\OSGS 3 - enable Intel + Nvidia (Optimus mode)

\OSGS 2 (or even \OSGS 0x00) - enable Nvidia only (discrete mode)

\OSGS 1 - enable Intel only (integrated mode)

Using the acpi_call module, you can execute these commands. Example: to select Intel + Nvidia on next reboot:

echo '\OSGS 3' > /proc/acpi/call

Note: You will need to do this at each boot as long as you want to stay with the Intel part (If you do not do this the Eee will start with only the Nvidia Ion VGA controller).
Adding the above command to /etc/rc.local will run the command on every boot (for the next boot). This is ideal if you want to run X on the Intel VGA controller.

You can check the current mode with :

echo "\AMW0.DSTS 0x90013" > /proc/acpi/call
cat /proc/acpi/call

Substract 0x30000 from the result and interpret the remaining two bits as the first argument passed to \OSGS. Thus:

0x30003 - intel + nvidia are on (Optimus mode)

0x30002 - only the nvidia card is on (discrete mode)

0x30001 - only the intel card is on (integrated mode)

After reboot you can see which controllers are enabled with:

lspci -nn | grep '\[03'

You can now power down the ion part with (you'll need the acpi_call module loaded):

echo "\_SB.PCI0.P0P4.DGPU.DOFF" > /proc/acpi/call

Note: when the nvidia card is the only enabled card, the above function does nothing.

Note: When leaving suspend you need to do this again because the Nvidia part reactivates itself.

Check consumption

You can check consumption with:

cat /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/current_now

Before disabling: ~1700mA.

After disabling: ~1000mA.

As you can see this method saves a lot of battery!

ACPI

As of kernel 3.1, appending acpi_osi=Linux to the kernel line in your bootloader configuration file (e.g. grub, lilo, syslinux...) is no longer necessary to enable ACPI. The proper modules should be automatically called at boot.

Wireless

open source brcm80211 driver directly included in the Linux kernel, since version 3.0.0 (recommended)

In case you use the open source brcm80211 driver provided by Linux kernel, make sure you add bcma to a blacklist file, otherwise you will have a conflict between drivers which will block the brcm80211 driver and that will make your wireless card be unavailable.

Bumblebee

The 1015pn can be configured to run automatically on the Intel video card, turn on and use the Nvidia part for specific processes when requested, and otherwise leave the Nvidia part turned off.

Power management of the Nvidia VGA controller can also be handled by Bumblebee. Please note, however, that Bumblebee support for power management is currently experimental. To use automatic power management of the Nvidia card, first go to /etc/bumblebee/bumblebee.conf, and change ENABLE_POWER_MANAGEMENT=Y and STOP_SERVICE_ON_EXIT=Y.
This gives Bumblebee permission to turn on and off the Nvidia card. Stop service on exit means that the Nvidia card will be turned off when not currently being used by any process.

Next, two new files, cardon and cardoff, must be created in /etc/bumblebee/, with the following contents:

cardon

\_SB.PCI0.P0P4.DGPU.DON

cardoff

\_SB.PCI0.P0P4.DGPU.DOFF

These are the acpi calls that Bumblebee will use to dynamically control the power of the Nvidia card. Now if bumblebee is included in the MODULES section of /etc/rc.conf, Bumblebee will automatically power down the Nvidia VGA controller unless it is being used with the optirun command.